Morales turned to me as we continued to drive. "Don't dwell on it. Merle getting left. No one will be sad, except maybe Daryl." I glanced at him briefly, "Daryl?" "His brother." We stopped as we heard an alarm, looking to see Glenn enjoying his ride. We slowly pulled up to the camp as everyone got out. I watched through the windshield as they reunited with their loved ones, wishing that I could feel the same. Morales called for me, "Hey helicopter boy, come say hello." I slowly stepped out, and as I looked up, I saw my friend.. Shane. Then I look behind him to see.. my wife and son. "Oh my God.." I sprinted towards them as my son called out for me. "Dad! Dad!" I held him tightly against me, bringing my wife into my forearm, crying as I was finally reunited with my family, finding what I was looking for.
Night fell as I sat by a fire with my son in my arms, my wife and Shane sat across from us. The others sat around it as well as I shared my experience. "Disoriented." "I guess that's how you could describe it confused of all things but... disoriented comes closest." My son, Carl looked up to me. "Mom said you died." I glanced at Lori before smiling down at Carl. "She had every reason to believe that. Don't you ever doubt it." "I can't ever tell you how grateful I am Shane. I can't express it." Shane stares at me shortly before his attention pulled elsewhere. Dale turned to me, "have you taken into consideration, Daryl Dixon? He won't be so happy to hear you left his brother behind." T-Dog spoke up before I could, "I'll tell him. I dropped the key, it's on me." I shook my head, "I cuffed him, that makes it mine." Dale spoke up again, "word to the wise — we're gonna have our hands full when he gets back from his hunt." We all headed to our tents for the night, leaving tomorrow's problems, for tomorrow. As I lay there, I couldn't get Glenn out of my head. How could I ever repay him? Little did I know, that soon it would mean so much more.
I woke up the next morning and got dressed in clean clothes, greeting everyone. I walked next to Glenn as he watched a few people strip his car. "Vultures. Yeah go ahead, strip it clean." I almost chuckled at this. Adorable when he's mad isn't he? He glanced to the side, "I thought maybe I'd get to drive it a couple more days." I pat his back, "Maybe we'll steal another one somebody." I walked to Lori , suggesting we went back to get Merle. "Well I think—" She stopped as we heard screaming, "Dad!" I ran instantly, others following behind. We got into an opening, watching a walker eat a deer. The worst part was that it was so close to camp. A man emerged from the trees, not to happy about his deer being stolen. The walker's head was still active as the man sighed. "It's gotta be the brain. Don't y'all know nothing?" He walked back to camp as we followed suit. He called out, "Merle!.. Merle!" Shane approaches Daryl, before I walked towards them. "There's no easy way to say this so I'll just say it." He looked at me, "who're you?" "Rick Grimes." "Rick Grimes, You got something you want to tell me?" "Your brother was a danger to us all, so I handcuffed him on a roof. He's still there." He began to yell, "You meaning to tell me that you handcuffed my brother to a roof, and you left him there?!" "Yeah." He tried to charge at me before Shane and I restrained him. "Just tell me where he is, so's I can go get him." Lori spoke up, "he'll show you. Isn't that right?" I nodded, "I'm going back." Shane walked after me once I emerged from my tent. "Why would you risk your life for a douche bag like Merle Dixon?" "I can't just let a man die Shane. Not me." Lori looked up, "so you and Daryl? That's your big plan." I hummed and looked to Glenn, standing in front of me, before he grimaced. "Oh, come on." "You know the way Glenn. I'd feel a lot better with you along." Shane began to complain about us leaving, how we needed bodies to protect camp. "Seems to me that what you need is more guns." Glenn spoke up as Shane looked at him confused, "Oh right, the guns." "What guns?" Oh boy, "2 shotguns, 2 high-powered rifles, over a dozen handguns. I cleaned out the cage back at the station before I left. I dropped the bag in Atlanta when I got swarmed. It's just sitting there on the street." "Ammo?" "700 rounds." At this Shane looked down in contemplation. Lori whined, "you just can't leave, you just got here. A life for Merle Dixon, forget the guns." "I need that bag Lori. A debt, for man I met and his boy, they helped me." The trucks horn honked. "Come on let's go!" We left camp, driving a ways before arriving at some nearby tracks. "We walk from here." We got out beginning to walk. Merle Dixon isn't much to me, but I would feel bad if I was the reason a man died, someone's brother. "Merle first or guns?" "Merle! It's not up for discussion." I ignored Daryl, looking to Glenn, "it's your call." "Merle first, he's closer." We slowly crept into the department store, keeping guard on the walkers roaming. We rushed up the stairs and unlocked the chain, only to find that Merle was gone. All that was left behind was his hand. Daryl began to scream, hurt in his voice, "No! No! No!" Isn't this great? What have I done? More importantly, we just risked our lives for someone who isn't even there. I feel bad about dragging Glenn along as well, at least he's safe, we're all safe. I guess now we can focus on what's important, the guns.
